Electric sign



y 1939- E. R. NICKEL 2,157,185-

ELECTRIC SIGN Filed June 6, 1938 INVENTOR. 12%;? A. Aha/(4 A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric signs of the neon or other luminescent gas filled discharge tube type.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sign of the character referred to in which only a single panel is required to support and partition the discharge tube displays on opposite sides of the sign and thus provide a double faced sign of the same effectiveness as the box-type signs heretofore used for this purpose but less expensive to build, lighter in weight, and much simpler in construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sign unit in which a weatherproof housing is associated with the panel to mount, enclose and protect the transformer, wiring and other electrical equipment for the sign, and in addition connect the housing and the panel in such relation that the adjacent wall of the housing ex- 90 tends beyond the opposite sides of the panel to accommodate the openings required in the housing to receive the electrode ends of the display tubes on opposite sides of the panel.

A further object of my invention is to have the housing and the panel substantially co-extensive along their line of connection so that the housing will provide an adequate support for the panel and accommodate all of the electrical equipment required for the sign and also as many openings as may be required for the tube sections on the sign.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in

which-- Fig. 1 is a side View of my improved single panel sign;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the sign taken on line 22 of Fig. l, a portion of the housing being broken away to show the transformer and the wiring equipment therein;

Fig. 3 is a. vertical sectional view on a larger scale taken through the sign on line 33 of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional View with parts in elevation of an electrode end of a tube and the mounting therefor in the housing; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showinga detail of construction to be hereinafter described.

As shown in the drawing, the sign of my invention comprises a housing I and a single panel 2 connected to and supported by said housing. The panel and the housing are preferably made of sheet metal, the panel being secured to the adjacent wall of the housing in any desired manner. In the embodiment shown, the panel 2 depends from the bottom wall 3 of the housing, the latter being at the top of the sign. In this construction, bolts 4 may be used to secure the panel to the housing, the panel having a flange 5 along its :upper edge to receive the bolts. The latter, as indicated in Fig. 5, extend into the housing through the bottom wall 3 and are clamped in place by nuts 6. These fasteners are spaced along the length of the panel as indicated in Fig. .2.

Disposed on opposite sides of the panel 2 are the discharge tubes 7, '8 fashioned to depict the legend or message :to 'be displayed by the sign. In most cases, the message would be the same on each side of the panel, although different messages could be displayed on opposite sides of the sign if desired. The tubes are attached to and supported by the panel in outward spaced relation thereto by tube supports 9, 9. The latter are secured .at their inner ends to the panel and are Wired at their outer ends to the tubes as indicated at l0, l0 in the drawing. The supports *9 are distributed over the panel in the positions best suited to mount the tubes.

The tubes comprise the necessary sections on each side of the panel .for the characters or symbols to be displayed. This locates the electrode ends I I, H of the tubes on the same sides of the panel as the respective tubes. The electrode ends of the tubes are inserted into the housing I through openings l2, l2 in its bottom wall 3, there being two openings on each side of the panel in the embodiment shown. The electrode ends of the tubes are received in dielectric bushings [3 located within the housing, and secured to the bottom wall 3, one at each opening 12 as detailed in Fig. 4. In this structure, the bushings I3 are clamped to the bottom wall 3 by sleeve nuts 14 which engage threads on the bushings. The latter are equipped with electrical terminals, each of which in the form shown includes a coiled spring contact member l5 which presses against .a metal cap 16 on the upper end of the inserted tube end. This connects the tubes in the high tension circuit of the transformer on inserting the tube ends into the housing through the openings l2.

The panel 2 is preferably secured to the hous- Ing wall 3 intermediate the side edges of said wall. This in the structure shown locates the panel mid-way between the side walls la, la of the housing. This also extends the housing wall 3 on opposite sides of the panel and locates the openings I2, l2 in said wall in position to readily receive the electrode ends H of the respective tubes 'i, 8 mounted on the panel.

The transformer for the sign is located in the housing I and is shown at IT in Fig. 2. The transformer is preferably mounted on and secured to the housing wall 3 by bolts H? which may be at the opposite ends of the transformer box as shown in Fig. 2. The housing I completely encloses and protects the transformer and the electrical equipment therein from the weather. This equipment, of course, includes the wiring and its supports for the sign.

The tubes 7, 8 on opposite sides of the panel are connected in series, the wiring being shown in Fig. 2. The wiring comprises a lead l9 connecting the end of one tube with one high tension terminal 2E3 of the transformer, a lead 2| connecting the opposite end of said tube to the adjacent end of the other tube, and a lead 22 connecting the other end of the last mentioned tube to the other high tension terminal 23 of the transformer. The low tension leads are shown at 24, 25. These wires .are connected to the low tension terminals of the transformer as at 25 and extend out of the housing I for connection with the source of current supply. In the embodiment shown, the low tension wires extend out of the housing through an opening in its end Wall lb, the latter being fitted with an insulation bushing 21 about the opening. The other end wall of the housing is marked lo.

Having the housing I co-extensive with the panel edge to which the housing is secured provides a housing of sufficient dimensions to mount and protect more than one transformer should the electrical load on the sign require two or more transformers. Also, the housing is of a size to enclose and support all the wiring necessary, and in addition provide ample support for the panel secured thereto. This gives the assembly unitary form which facilitates shipment and hanging.

The sign is hung from an overhead support which as in the embodiment shown comprises a rod or bar 28 which is secured at its inner end to a building wall. Brackets 29, 29 hang the sign from the bar 28. The brackets are secured to the end walls lb, to of the housing l and have their upper ends looped and clamped about the bar as shown in Fig. l. The bar may be provided at or adjacent its outer end with a U-bolt 30 so that a chain or equivalent element (not shown) may be attached to the bar to aid in suspending the sign from the building wall. 3| indicates an angle bracket at the inner end of the bar to aid in securing the bar to a wall. The fixtures described provide a swinging mounting. If a rigid mounting is required, side chains may be attached to the housing to hold the sign against a swinging movement. The single panel will flex some-what in response to wind pressure. It is essential to have the requisite clearance between the electrode ends of the tubes and the housing wall 3. This is provided by the openings 12 and the bushings l3, which receive the electrode ends of the tubes.

The housing i not only mounts the transformer, and wiring and other electrical equipment, but fully encloses and protects these components from the weather. The extension of the housing beyond the panel also provides receiving spaces or recesses for the display tubes l, 8. The top wall 32 of the housing in the structure shown is removable so that access may be had to the interior of the housing when assembling the sign, as well as when inspecting the parts for any purpose. The wall 32 extends the full length of the housing so as to provide an opening into the housing for its full length. This cover 32 is secured in place by screws 33 disposed along the sides of the housing. The latter has an upstanding flange 34 about the opening at its top to accommodate the cover plate 32 and also provide a weather-proof joint at the cover.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, except as pointed out in the annexed claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric sign of the character described comprising, an elongated housing having top, bottom, side and end walls providing a weather proof enclosure for the transformer, wiring and other electrical equipment disposed within the housing for the sign, a panel of a single section secured to and depending from the bottom wall intermediate the side walls, luminescent gas filled discharge tubes on opposite sides of the panel, said tubes being attached to and supported by the panel below the housing and fashioned to provide the message to be displayed by the sign, said tubes having their electrode ends extending into the housing through openings in the portions of the bottom wall on opposite sides of the panel, said top wall having an opening therein extending along the housing for substantially the full length thereof and of a width to pass the transformer, wiring and other electrical equipment for the sign, a cover plate of substantially the same length as the housing and securable to the top wall over its opening for closing the same, and supporting brackets for the sign at the end walls of the housing to avoid interference with removing or applying the cover plate to the housing.

2. An electric sign of the character described comprising, an elongated housing having top, bottom, side and end walls providing a weather proof enclosure for the transformer, wiring and other electrical equipment disposed within the housing for the sign, a panel of a single section secured to and depending from said bottom wall intermediate the side walls, luminescent gas filled discharge tubes on opposite sides of the panel below the housing and fashioned to provide the message to be displayed by the sign, said tubes being attached to and supported by the panel and having their electrode ends extending into the housing through openings in the portions of the bottom wall on opposite sides of the panel, said top wall having an opening extending substantially the full length of the housing and of a width to pass the transformer, wiring and other electrical equipment for the sign, a cover plate of substantially the same length as the housing and securable to the top wall over its opening for closing the same, said cover plate and the top wall having overlapping flanges about the edges of the opening to provide a weather proof joint at the same, and supporting brackets for the sign secured to the end walls of the housing on the outside thereof to avoid interference with applying the cover to or removing it from the housing.

ELMER R. NICKEL. 

